152

GEORGE WASHINGTON FRANKING SIGNATURE

Currency:USD Category:Everything Else / Other Start Price:NA Estimated At:3,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
GEORGE WASHINGTON FRANKING SIGNATURE
<b>152. GEORGE WASHINGTON </b>His franking signature "<i>Go: Washington</i>" on an Revolutionary War period address panel addressed to "<i>Lieut Colonel De Haart at Newark</i>" in another hand who adds "<i>On public Service</i>" at top right. This address panel was addressed to Lt. Col. William De Hart, of the Second New Jersey Regiment and was probably sent, judging from Washington's known correspondence, on Jan. 18, 1780 concerning his removal from Paramus to Newark and the need to send troops to man the abandoned post at Paramus. According to a letter from Washington to Lord Sterling dated Morristown, Jan. 14, 1780, which reads "<i>My Lord: I have directed Lt. Colo. De Haart [sic] with a detachment of 250 Men to move from Paramus to Newark and send parties of observation from thence to Bergen to watch the motions of the enemy upon the North River to Paulus Hook. He will communicate with your Lordship by way of Elizabeth town and is directed to receive any commands from you. The detachment will move from hence as soon as the sleds, which are coming in, are collected...</i>". That night, Sterling would lead a detachment of 3000 troops on a raid on Staten Island. The British intercepted the intelligence and the raid was thus only a modest success, with militiamen looting indiscriminately. The British responded 10 days later by burning the academy at Newark and the courthouse in Elizabethtown. De Hart's men were to observe British movements while Sterling's raid was underway. Mounted, a few marginal tears, light soiling, otherwise very good.<b> $3,000-4,000</b>